Statue Decoration CeremoniesPay tribute to the King at his original statue in Kapa'au

Since 1912, a statue of King Kamehameha I has honored and protected North Kohala from his position above Akoni Pule Highway in Kapa'au.

On Kamehameha Day, June 11th, individuals and organizations pay homage to the King by creating many 20 - foot floral or ti lei, which are draped over the statue in ceremonies starting at about 8:00 a.m.

Statue decoration ceremonies include the opening blessing, hula, chant, history and music. Participating in the proceedings are the Royal Order of Kamehameha, members of the Hawaiian Civic Club and Ka'ahumanu Society, an ali'i and service organization founded in memory of the third and favorite wife of Kamehameha I.

Hula honoring Kamehameha I will be presented.

King Kamehameha Statue, North Kohala

Long journey to North Kohala

The statue of King Kamehameha I has a prominent place in North Kohala's distant and recent history. The statue was commissioned by the Hawaiian legislature in 1878, and a heroic 9-foot bronze statue was created in Paris. Destined for the Judiciary Building in Honolulu, the statue was shipped from Paris but lost near the Falkland Islands after the ship burned and sank. A replacement statue was eventually unveiled iin Honolulu. Later, the original was salvaged from the ocean ad repaired. In 1912, the statue was installed by the courthouse, now a senior center, in Kapa'au, near the King's birthplace.

Legacy restored

Corroded from its time in the sea, early in the century community residents began painting the bronze statue to protect it from further deterioration and to make its colors lifelike -- brown skin, yellow feather cloak and red sash. In 2001, the rapidly deteriorating statue was restored after a years-long process that involved the Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education, conservator Glenn Wharton, Kohala cultural practitioners and hundreds of local residents. At issue: Should the statue be returned to the bronze and gold finish intended by the artist, or should it continue to be painted? Ultimately, the community voted to maintain the local tradition of painting the statue. The restored statue was rededicated in 2001 and is maintained by a trained group of local volunteers. A documentary about this unique community effort, A Legacy Restored, was shown on public television and is available from statue maintenance committee.

Kamehameha Day in North Kohala: All-day festivities, all events free, always on June 11th.Funding provided by Hawai'i Tourism Authority through Community Enrichment Program.